He grits his teeth and holds. Rhi is there. Arms around Sam. They pull and pull. I cry out in pain.

‘Fuck off you pricks!’

May.

The old girl runs like one renewed. Firestick in hand she dashes in. My captor lets go as the light touches us. A screech of pain, but not one that comes from a human throat.

‘The fire!’ May cries.

We haul arse back to the camp. Sam and Rhi have to carry me, I can’t seem to get my legs to unlock.

Back in the light, they lower me down. Rhi pulls my shaking body into a hug as Sam crouches to check my ankles. They feel bruised, but I’m too scared to look. I felt something cutting.

Harsh breathing is the only sound for a while.

‘She’s okay,’ Sam declares. ‘Ya just need a bit of Savlon. I got it in the car.’

‘No!’ I grab him by the shoulders. ‘No. Don’t go near the dark.’

‘It’s okay, Tace, it’s just there.’ He points to his car, which is closer than ours. I swear I see something moving under it where the light can’t reach.

‘She’s right, stay in the light. They’re ere for er, but they’ll use one of us to tempt er closer.’ May’s voice is trembling. She drops beside us, looking worn out.

‘Are those …’ Rhi’s voice came tiny and afraid.

‘Don’t say it!’ Sam hisses, jumping to his feet. ‘Just don’t name it. We’ll wait them out, that’s all.’

I’m watching the shadows, trying to see into them. Firelight dances almost playfully, stretching over dirt and grass, except for our shadows. Lifting an unsteady hand I point at Sam’s shadow, long and thin reaching out beyond the light. Something moves.

I shriek as May grabs Sam’s hand and yanks him to the ground. Whatever was there spits and screeches like an angry possum. A flash of movement and it returns to the shadows. A glimpse of limbs and hair is all I get. It’s enough.

‘Stay down!’ May whispers.

We all turn and check our shadows. They’re way too close to the edge of the light. Shapes shift everywhere the light doesn’t reach.

Sam hunches over my ankles again, hiding his face.

‘How much wood did you collect?’ I ask, knowing the answer. They hadn’t expected to camp the night.

His scared eyes meet mine. ‘Not enough.’

‘Why are they doing this?’ Rhi whimpers.

My seated position is pushing something into my right bum cheek and I remember why I wanted to see May in the first place.

‘I found something in Laney’s room. A necklace.’